Scroll
down to see all the winning photos – I think you’ll be as impressed as I am. The
variety, quality, and creativity of the photos is outstanding! Congratulations to
all our winners, and to everyone who entered!

The
winning photos will be featured in the 2017 “Treasure Valley: On the Go!” transportation calendar, on the COMPASS website, and across all COMPASS
social media channels – Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram, and more.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

The
primaries ended in May, and general election isn’t until November, yet we want
your vote now. What’s up with that?

Over
the past 12 months, we have asked you to look at, think about, and photograph
our local transportation system. It’s been more than a simple exercise in
taking photos, but a chance to highlight how we all rely on transportation in
our daily lives – from recreational mountain biking to freight supporting our
economy.

Your
friends, neighbors, and colleagues have been photographing the many aspects of
the Treasure Valley’s transportation system and sharing their photos with us
through the “Treasure Valley On the
Go!” photo contest.

We
received 116 photos from 34 photographers from around the valley, showing how
they see the Treasure Valley “on the go” in their lives. The photos are
creative and diverse – from historic railroad bridges to brand new bikes, from
shady paths to snowy roads. The entries truly capture the gamut of
transportation options in the Treasure Valley.

With
the help of our Public Participation Workgroup, we narrowed the entries to 41
photos, which are now open for public voting. This is where you come in. We need you to select the winning photos
by voting online by 11:59 pm, Tuesday, September 14, 2016. It’s easy – simply click, check out the photos,
vote for your favorites, and submit.

The
top 12 photos will be used in the 2017 “Treasure Valley On the Go!” calendar –
three representing each of the four transportation components that will be
included in Communities in Motion 2040 2.0 (bicycle/pedestrian,
freight, public transportation, and roadway). Other entries will be used in
COMPASS outreach materials, on the COMPASS website, on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and more. Watch for them wherever you
see COMPASS materials.

The
calendars will be available for free later this fall. Watch for
announcements when they are available, then grab yours and enjoy a year of
seeing the “Treasure Valley: On the Go!” through the eyes of your neighbors.

Thursday, September 1, 2016

The
answer is the same when you ask how we can address the region’s immense
transportation needs: One bite at a time!

Most
large transportation projects are like the elephant; they can’t be tackled all
at once. Even relatively small projects often cost multiple millions of
dollars.

Instead,
transportation agencies frequently take the wise approach of building or
improving transportation facilities in small bites. Eventually, all of those
bites will complete the larger project to fill a regional need.

The
DRAFT FY2017 – 2021 Regional Transportation Improvement Program, or TIP, now open for public
comment,
includes one of those “small bite” projects. The Idaho Transportation
Department (ITD) has budgeted about $7.5 million to widen US 20/26 (Chinden
Boulevard) between Locust Grove Road and State Highway 55 (Eagle Road) by adding
one additional lane in each direction. Construction is currently planned for fiscal
year 2021 and is funded through ITD’s Strategic Initiatives Program – a highly
competitive statewide funding source designed to fund projects that increase
safety, promote mobility, and stimulate economic opportunity.

We
know the need doesn’t stop at Locust Grove Road; improvements are needed all
the way to Middleton Road in western Canyon County. However, this project
constitutes that “first bite” to meet that larger need. The remainder of the improvements
are unfunded; US 20/26 from Locust Grove to Middleton Road sits as #3 on the prioritized
list of unfunded projects in Communities
in Motion 2040.
COMPASS and ITD will continue to seek funding to complete improvements along
the corridor.

The
project along US 20/26 is just one of dozens of transportation projects funded in
the DRAFT FY2017 – 2021 TIP. I encourage you to review the TIP while it is open
for public comment and share your feedback on the upcoming
projects. Are the “right” projects being funded? Do you see other needs that
aren’t addressed?

While
we can’t fund every need right now, we will continue to take small bites and
eventually eat the elephant.

Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho

COMPASS is the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization responsible for transportation planning in Ada and Canyon Counties. The COMPASS Board comprises 39 members representing the cities, counties, highway districts, educational institutions, state agencies, and other entities within the two counties. COMPASS plays an important role in making decisions about future long-range transportation needs in the Treasure Valley, taking into consideration environmental and economic factors that affect the quality of life.

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Matt Stoll, Executive Director

Matt Stoll has been the Executive Director of the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho (COMPASS) since 2004. Under Matt’s direction, COMPASS has focused on developing and retaining collaborative and cooperative partnerships with local, state, and federal planning agencies and with Treasure Valley communities.

Matt has a Bachelor of Arts degree in geography from the State Univer­sity of New York and a Master of Arts degree in geography from Arizona State University. He is married with two daughters and is active in the Treasure Valley com­munity through his involvement in volunteer and non-profit organizations.

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